April heralds return of migratory birds to UK - unless the weather turns cruel

Unsettled weather, rain and winds have in some years stopped birds returning from winter in Africa in their tracksDespite TS Eliot's famous reworking of the opening lines to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, April is not usually the cruellest month, weather-wise. For birders, it sees the welcome return of the majority of long-distance migrants from their winter quarters in sub-Saharan Africa - including warblers, flycatchers and chats, along with those masters of the air: swallows, martins and swifts.Both we and the birds hope for clear skies and soft southerly winds, allowing these global voyagers to safely cross the Channel to Britain. Continue reading...